Star Trek: EVERY Season Ranked Worst To Best

The Dominion War began in earnest in Deep Space Nine's sixth season, pushing the show even farther into the darkness than it had been before. The war and everything about it was antithetical to what Roddenberry had hoped for his future, yet the show runners felt it was the necessary next step in the story.

Initially, the six part episode arc was to have encompassed the entirety of the war, with even this arc originally being planned for four episodes only.

That was pushed out, allowing for a greater development of themes, but also allowing a deeper analysis of how the Federation responded to this new threat. It represented a time of change behind the scenes. The opening shot in A Time To Stand would feature the last group of ships using entirely studio models.

The sixth season would also see the contemplative Far Beyond The Stars, exploring both race and the relationship between characters and writers. Directed by Avery Brooks, this was one of the finest examples of what Star Trek was originally intended to do, highlighting social issues through a sci-fi lens.

Following this came the darkest moment of Star Trek to that point, in the chilling In The Pale Moonlight, where a decorated Starfleet captain knowingly commits terrible crimes for the greater good.

The season would end with the departure of Terry Farrell, a decision mired in poor communication and ill-feeling. The death of Jadzia Dax would mark the first time that a main character would be killed and then not return in any capacity for the rest of that show's run.